Laparoscopic and endoscopic surgical procedures typically include routing a small device through a small incision in the skin or natural body orifices. To effectively operate in these small openings and associated regions, surgeons must use instruments that have a small enough cross section to ease insertion through the incisions as well as having sufficient length to reach the targeted or designated surgical area within the body. Endoscopic and laparoscopic instruments utilized for these procedures are often separated into two or more components to reduce costs and minimize cross contamination, where some of the components are disposable, one-time-use parts and the other components are sterilizable or otherwise available for repeated use.
For example, one component typically includes a long and narrow disposable portion that is inserted into the small opening during surgery. These disposable components may contain surgical tools, such as surgical jaws, clip-appliers, dissectors or other instruments on the end that enters the patient. These disposable components also typically contain small actuators which control the operation of the surgical tools within the patient. These small actuators are often operatively attached to another, non-disposable component of these surgical instruments. The non-disposable component may include a control unit for moving the disposable component within the patient and operating the disposable actuators during a particular procedure.
However, the inclusion of complex attachment mechanisms and actuators in the disposable components of a surgical instrument increases the costs incurred for each procedure. Moreover, existing attachment mechanisms coupling the disposable portions to the non-disposable components typically include helical threads, ball joins, and other mechanisms that can be difficult to disassemble for the disposal of the use components. Indeed, such couplings may require a physician or surgeon to grasp a sharp, pointed end effector of the device in order to twist and detach the disposable portion from the non-disposable portion, which can lead to unintended injury.
In view of the above, it is desirable to provide a laparoscopic assembly having complex control and actuation mechanisms in a re-usable handle while minimizing complexity and thus costs for disposable components of the device. It is further desirable to provide end effector assemblies that are readily detachable with minimal effort and reduced need for direct interaction with sharpened end effectors.